ESPN TV and Radio Commentators for 2014 FIFA World Cup, Week 1 (Through June 19)

Lead play-by-play commentator Ian Darke and analyst Steve McManaman will call the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Brazil vs. Croatia — from Sao Paulo on Thursday, June 11, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN3 and WatchESPN, while JP Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth will provide commentary on ESPN Radio’s broadcast of the match. ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the tournament will include all 64 matches televised live on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN3 and WatchESPN, as well as 54 matches on ESPN Deportes and another 10 on ESPN Deportes+. ABC matches will also available on WATCH ABC. ESPN Radio will also broadcast all 64 matches. Additional highlights:

Darke and Taylor Twellman will call Ghana vs. USA, the U.S. team’s first match of the tournament, on Monday, June 16, at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN;

Fernando Palomo and Alejandro Moreno, ESPN’s English-language commentating team for Mexican National Team matches, will team to describe the action from Mexico vs. Cameroon on Friday, June 13, at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN2;

Jon Champion and Stewart Robson will make their ESPN FIFA World Cup debuts with Spain vs. Netherlands, a rematch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, on Friday, June 13, at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN;

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be ESPN’s eighth World Cup and most comprehensive presentation to date. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will combine to air all 64 matches live and in high definition (June 12 – July 13). All ESPN and ESPN2 games will be available on WatchESPN, while ABC matches will be available on WATCH ABC. ESPN3, ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network available in more than 85 million homes, will present matches live in multiple languages (other than English and Spanish).

ESPN’s presentation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup will include comprehensive news and information coverage of the month-long soccer showcase with renowned journalists reporting on the tournament and the host country of Brazil. Additional English-language coverage of the quadrennial event will total more than 90 hours of original programming and will include SportsCenter at the World Cup,anightly World Cup Tonight program, ESPN FC World Cup Encore, a 30-minute pre-match show, halftime and post-match segments, as well as a World Cup-branded ESPN Films 30 for 30: Soccer Stories series, E:60 shows, and access-driven long-form storytelling features.

ESPN garnered more than 40 industry awards, including three Sports Emmys, for its presentation of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa – more accolades than any single event in the company’s history.